4. Apple Pies

As he scrubbed the metal pie pans along the crystal lake, he gave a great sigh.

"How are we to improve in making apple pies?"



Growing up, he always thought that the best that apple pies could taste were the ones from his native village Jardinville--because he had tasted no other. However, when Carlos was delivering spices to Polo recently, he discovered how diligently and seriously the Polians took pie-making. Many of them pick the freshest apples, use the finest spices, and time the oven-baking just right so that the pie crust is perfectly buttery and crispy! Now, tasting the apple pies of Jardinville was like experiencing a staler version of some of the Polian pies.

Carlos finished running the pans with some water and took out a rag to dry them. He noticed that some of the pans the Jardiners were using were cracked and unpolished.

Recently, he tried to share with some villagers of Jardinville some recipes and techniques he jotted down when he was at Polo. Some were eager to give it a try, others not so much. It seems like quite the hassle to have to change from something one is already comfortable doing. It takes a lot more time to search the trees for the finest apples instead of just grabbing a bunch. It takes a lot more money to buy the finer spices when generic cinnamon could work. And why check the oven constantly and patiently for just the right time when you can take the pie out whenever you feel it is probably done?

To his surprise, however, he did realize some people who still spent the time to really make good pies in Jardinville--few, but still faithful to the cause. It's like an oven--right when you thought you had to re-light it to bake a pie, you realize there is some wood on fire still and maybe all you need is to add some more sticks and blow in some air.

Word had been spreading among all the villages and towns that the king was coming to taste all the apple pies of Pie Kingdom. Hopefully, they can all get their pie-making into top shape before the king gets to their village. Perhaps at one point in time, Jardinville used to be the center for pie-making...

As Carlos stacked the pans in a neat striated tower, he took from his bag a slice of apple pie he made that morning. His teeth sank into the flakey crust. Filling oozed into his mouth. MMmm... but not good enough. The pie was getting cold too. How can he help the Jardiners if his own pie-making still needs some help?

Sigh.